David Domoney reveals the easiest thing beginners should plant now – it's guaranteed to germinate every time

If you want instant grow-your-own success in your garden this month, celebrity gardener and English chartered horticulturist, David Domoney, has shared the one thing he recommends you should plant right now.

When you're a novice at growing your own fruits and veg at home, getting started can often feel extremely daunting. However, David's top tip is to keep it simple and give growing cress a go.

It's the perfect easy garden idea for you to get started on, and this much-loved classic is guaranteed to germinate every single time. 

David Domoney's cress planting tips

Speaking to us at the Ideal Home Show, we asked David for some beginner-friendly recommendations that novice gardeners can plant right now – and his response was immediate.

'Cress,' he begins. 'Grow cress on a bit of kitchen paper, toilet paper, cotton wool, or even on a saucer. It'll germinate within 48 hours so you get a big kick. First of all, you sow it – which brings about a positive mental response of looking forward to seeing it germinate – then you crop it and you eat it.' Simples.

Similar to growing watercress, including this essential as part of your herb garden is not only an extremely easy way to start gardening, but it can also save you some serious pennies down the line – especially if you're a foodie and want to indulge in its benefits for a delicious snack, as suggested by David himself. It's one of the reasons that learning how to grow microgreens is so popular, too.

David says, 'Cress has got more calcium than milk, more vitamin C than an orange, and more folate than a banana. It's incredibly healthy.'

'And that's the thing,' continues David. 'You'll see that you've had success growing this, and everything else becomes easy in the garden from that. For example, growing chillies or basil on the windowsill. For these things, you don't even need a garden. You just need sunlight and then you just add water.'

Yes, it really is that simple. Experiencing success in even the smallest of small gardens and container garden ideas is just within reach – and little did you know that it all starts with something tiny. In this case, cress.

The Ideal Home Show is the world’s longest-running home and interiors exhibition and is returning to Olympia London from Friday 22nd March until Sunday 7th April 2024.